Offworld Report: Weird Science: August 2004
01/08/2004 . Source: Jessica Martin 
Inflatable space stations, why we never went to the moon, the Project Icarus study on deflecting asteroids with very large atomics, Stephen Hawking on black holes, Cassini orbits Saturn, 'and Beagle 3' looks for an American ride. This month's worthy content roundup of all the stuff found 'offworld
the 'Nest from the world of online space science, cutting edge research
and ... well, just plain weird stuff. Jessica Martin is your web
scout for August.
NASA
and Mars
Politicians want to slash NASA's budget by $1.1 billion; kiss
goodbye to Mars. Mars
Mole
Why the next generation of Mars Landers are planning to explore
under the surface of Mars. Ammonia
on Mars Equals Life?
Why ammonia in the Martian atmosphere could be
a sign of microbial life. Martian
Meteorite
A rock from ancient Mars has been discovered in the Antarctic. Mars
Found at the South Pole?
Wired magazine’s take on the rock from ancient
Mars discovered in the Antarctic. Webb's
Giant
Article on the history of the Soviet Union’s giant moon booster. Inflatable
Space Stations
Article on the latest wave of ideas for inflatable modules
in space. Suborbital
Sucks?
How the suborbital industry will evolve depending on how many
customers there are. Heavy
Lift Debate
Should NASA develop a new heavy-lift launch vehicle? We
never went to the Moon (No, really.)
There have been many rumors that
the Apollo 11 landing was faked. The Space Review fits all the pieces of the puzzle
together. Inter-galactic
Traveller Mystery Woman Safe in Hawaii
Yes, well. No
Windows to Space
The next generation of supersonic jets will use aerodynamic
shaping to minimize sonic booms - but there won’t be any windows. Sunspot
High
The Sun is now more active now than at anytime in the past 1,000
years. Are we in danger? Relaunching
NASA
Why the US military need an independent space force. Giant
Atomics and Project Icarus
Imagine a Saturn V launching a 100-megaton
bomb: the Space Review Take another look at Project Icarus. Don
Quixote
The European Space Agency plan an anti-asteroid mission called
Don Quixote, to launch a scout & destroyer pair to alter the course of an
Earth-bound asteroid. Maryland
Mystery
Maryland mystery animal spotted again. The
Aldridge Report
Boldest calls for change within NASA and its relationship
with private industry. Beam
Up
Scotty may soon be able to beam us up Hubble
discovers 100 new planets
Hubble finds as many as a hundred new planets
around stars in our own galaxy. Battlefield
Robots March Forward
Military robots are coming ... but don’t expect
T3 any time soon. Exploding
Eggshells
Exploding eggshells could reduce space junk risk. Hawking’s
New Bag
Stephen Hawking says: "I’m sorry to disappoint science fiction
fans, but if information is preserved, there is no possibility of using black
holes to travel to other universes." Rovers
Get Second Life
NASA wants to extend the mission life of their Mars
rovers. Japanese
Ghost
Mount Fuji climbers dazzled by the 'Brocken specter'. Nanotechnology
Team in a Spin
Ultra-strong carbon nanotubes are spun into the first
continuous fibres. Cassini
enters into Saturn
The Cassini-Huygens probe slips into Saturn orbit
for four years. Probe
sees Titan's methane clouds
The Cassini-Huygens mission spies what
appear to be clouds and a large crater on Saturn’s largest moon. Cassini
Victory
Cassini Reaches Saturn Orbit The
Sound of Saturn
So what does a waterfall sounds like on Saturn’s moon? The
Days on Saturn
Why Saturn’s days vary significantly. Bad
Spirit
Evil spirits' possess high-school girls in Zamboanga City. Ariane’s
Big Lift
Europe's Ariane 5 rocket makes ready to launch the world's
largest satellite. Robots
in the Library
The robot prototype for a companion worker for librarians
is revealed. The
March of AI
Wired on why machines are becoming more and more like the
rest of us. Pokemon
Death
Reasearchers study 'Pokemon' seizures. NASA
Shake Up
NASA needs to consolidate its programs in preparation for
its long Mars mission plan. Rocket
Hobbyists Dropping Out
Since 9/11, hobby racketeers have to jump through
a lot of new FBI hoops. For many, it's just not worth it. Beagle
3 wants an American Hitchhike
Professor Colin Pillinger begs NASA to
could zap the new Beagle package to Mars for him. Star
Travelers Queue Here
Don’t hold your breath for a private space excursion,
says Wired. Space
Exploration Stumble
Major early stumbles in the U.S.’s new ‘Vision
for Space Exploration’. Less
Movement Please
Why space advocates need to focus less on movements
and more on industries. The
Moon and Mars
NASA seems to be lumping together its Moon and Mars exploration
effort. Big mistake. Moore's
Law for Space Travel?
Is space exploration poised for revolutionary
advances along the lines of microprocessors. Not inevitable, by any means. 
|
